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Verstappen benefited from a strategy call from the British team that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an initial safety car deployment

It was a expensive choice that gave up track position to Verstappen in the final stages and retrospectively cost the race win for Piastri

Grand Prix Results and Title Consequences

Verstappen won to take his 7th win of the season, matching Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was second and the Briton fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz

Norris earned an extra two points by passing the Mercedes driver's Silver Arrow on the second-to-last lap

The championship leader has been maintained a 12-point lead over Verstappen, who moved ahead of his teammate by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December

To secure the championship, Norris must secure a podium position at Abu Dhabi if his rival wins the race next race day

Key Events of the Thrilling Grand Prix

• The team's decision not to stop when a safety car was deployed on the seventh lap for a crash between Alpine's Gasly and the Swiss team's Nico Hulkenberg
• A strategy led by the Australian to advance his final stop in a desperate attempt to challenge Verstappen came to nothing
• A unexpected second podium for the Williams driver gifted by the team's strategy call

The Way McLaren Lost Out in Qatar

The fateful point for the team was when the two drivers collided as the German tried to pass the Frenchman around the outside of Turn One on lap seven

The German's car was damaged beside the track This triggered the safety car

The crucial part of the timing was that it meant there were 50 laps remaining in the race

With Pirelli enforcing a 25-lap maximum usage on the tyres, that meant anyone who pitted at that time was locked into a rigid strategy with a additional pit stop on lap 32

Competitor Reactions and After the Event Comments

Speechless

Piastri added in his after-race conversation: Obviously we made mistakes tonight My driving was the strongest performance I was capable of, as quick as I possible, but there was no more pace out there Attempted my best but couldn't secure victory

Verstappen stated: That represented an incredible race for us We made the right call to box That proved intelligent And extremely pleased to win here and stay in the fight to the head, remarkable

Final Grand Prix Standings

• 1. Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
• 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
• 3. Carlos Sainz (Williams Racing)
• 4. Norris (McLaren)
• 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes-AMG)
• 6. Russell (Mercedes-AMG)
• 7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin F1)
• 8. Charles Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari)
• 9. Liam Lawson (RB F1 Team)
• 10. Tsunoda (Red Bull)

Looking Ahead

The crucial title decider at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit The circuit itself does not create the most exciting competition, but once again this evening event features an contest which appears set to become every bit as dramatic as Vettel's maiden championship in 2010, or Verstappen's highly controversial initial championship in twenty-twenty-one